It's almost unfair, but it could have been a lot more because Adrian Peterson fumbled on his way to another touchdown. I mean, it's not like Detroit was ever really in it, but the fact that Vegas is making the Vikings such heavy favorites in games like this is both a little confounding, lovely, and a little scary. The Vikings have never in their entire history been known as a team that closes other clubs out. Usually they are known for putting up huge regular season numbers and getting everyone's hopes up before pooping the bed in championship games.

Remember the 1969 season and Super Bowl IV? Probably not since a lot of you were in diapers or not even born, but those Vikings had an incredible defense and an offense that slogged through the mud and had no answer for Hank Stram's jet-age Chiefs. How about 1973? Oh, yes, Francis Tarkenton was back from New York and Chuck Foreman was a spry, young rookie, but the Vikings were tight and the Dolphins walked on them like a rug. 1974 was a bit better, but because Bud Grant was too stupid to do anything but slam Chuck Foreman's face into the strong side of the Steelers' defense. As for 1976, I love that the Vikings had as much talent as any club that ever played the game, but because Bud Grant was really good at neutering his players with his militaristic bullshit and crew cuts, the Vikings got eviscerated by a Raiders team that bragged about using only three basic defenses going into that game.

Don't get me started on 1998 because Dennis Green is as insane as he was innovative. Besides, that year seemed as though fate pre-destined John Elway to have a chance to rub a Super Bowl win in Dan Reeves' face. I'll just be irrational and say the gods of football said the Vikings would have to wait another 10 years.

Well, I think this could be it as long as Favre is healthy. I mean seriously, does anyone really question who has final call on what plays are run? I mean, it's pretty obvious that the offensive staff has limited Favre's exposure to the sort of wild shenannigans he ran in his last years in Green Bay and last year in New York, but this is what happens when you have Adrian Peterson to rely on. I have been saying it for months: the Vikings are the NFC favorite to go to the Super Bowl as long as he's healthy.

Sooner or later, New Orleans is going to drop one or two. They almost got beat by St. Louis (as we would have had the Rams been able to actually utilize their chances in the Red Zone) and while they have been winning ugly, they have looked vulnerable. Either way, I like the way things are going only because this is the first Viking team in history that doesn't seem to know the franchise was the original Buffalo Bills.